In an automotive body repair shop, a car body with minor body damages is normally repaired in several steps, such as preparative work where dents and other body damages are initially straightened out and prepared before later spray application of a body sanding foundation, welding and final repainting in a paint booth. Typically, the different work steps or work stations before final repainting are carried out in separate locations within the repair shop or at separate distant locations outside of the body repair shop itself. In the latter case, valuable time is lost due to transport logistics. Very often, welding repair work is carried out with insufficient ventilation and not in a separated environment from the general area in the body repair shop. This means that staff working at the repair shop is indirectly subjected to health-endangering welding fumes which in the long run may seriously impair the general health status of the staff. Furthermore, in many workshops there is a risk of explosion when using flammable gases from the application of a body sanding foundation at the same time as a welding operation.
Hence, there are both potential health problems and logistical problems associated with automotive repair shops.